Skulduggery Pleasant - The Beginning from and End Pt 1
by Melancholia Shae
Summary: Based on the book series, Skulduggery Pleasant. Valkyrie Cain is no longer, well, 'living'. Though there is a new character who is going to attempt to get into Skulduggery's heart. Will she manage to make him less empty, or will this simply make him feel worse...?


~ This could touch a few people in the heart, because an amazing character has passed. If you don't want to read it, then don't, but if you do... Well, thanks. I'll write more if it's popular, but if not, I suppose it will no longer exist. Write a review if you like it, and I'll continue on with the story. Thanks 3 SadistGirl2013 ~

"You're using me as _bait_?!"  
"Yes, be that as it may, you won't get hurt."  
"Promise?"  
"I promise." Ah, promises. All are broken in the end, are they not? My name is, well, I can't tell you. I haven't yet chosen a proper name yet, and I'm not to tell anyone. This, well skeleton, I met, he told me this. Yes, skeleton. Gleaming white skull, and bones. I don't know how he talks, it's a mystery honestly. He likes those. I like those too now. His name is Skulduggery Pleasant, well, that's his chosen name. I don't yet know his other names.

You see there are three names, your given name, the one your parents give you when you are born, the name you choose, which seals off your other name, mainly used by sorcerers and such, and your true name, the name that is the source of all power that you have. Gain knowledge of that name, and you're the strongest you could imagine, and more. Though, I don't even know much about this, Skulduggery told me. He's having a meeting. I hate those, but so does he. We decided to use hand signals and mess with the air around everyone. I'm going to try to drench the Grand Mage's hair without him noticing it was me.

I promised I'd practice my magic, and so I will. Eventually. Once we were on the road, I decided to ask Skulduggery something.  
"What am I meant to do at this meeting?"  
"Simply feign ignorance."  
"What?"  
"Feign ignorance. Pretend you don't know what's going on."  
"Why didn't you say that? It's just confusing."  
"Well, you should read more."  
"I read heaps, I should get out more." Skulduggery looked at her, and shook his head.  
"Please don't say that."  
"Why?"  
"An old friend used to say the same thing."  
"What was your friend's name?"  
"Valkyrie Cain. She was my partner in crime, though she was killed in a battle many years ago."  
"Oh... I'm sorry." I said, looking down at my hands. Skulduggery then went silent.

A giant sinking feeling made it's way into my stomach. They arrived at the Sanctuary and he pulled into a no parking zone at the side of the road. I dared not say anything, I was afraid he's jump out at me or something. His silence said it all, he was hurting, and this made me hurt too. I hoped he'd talk about her, for my sake. I just want to know about her, her name had been mentioned before, she was amazing. I had this feeling, Valkyrie Cain was more then just a partner in crime for Skulduggery, but I wouldn't press on about it in front of him. Touchy subject. We walked inside, and the Grand Mage was surprisingly, right in front of us. He looked up and greeted Skulduggery, who simply nodded.  
"Shall we?" Skulduggery asked, his voice now lacking emotion completely. It was eerie, even the Grand Mage new something was wrong, yet he feigned ignorance. Oh, perhaps Skulduggery teaching me that worked out well.  
"We shall, come." The Grand Mage led us into a room with many different people inside. There were things stationed around the room, in the shadows basically. These things were called Cleavers, or so I'd been told. Ever since an incident about this 'White Cleaver' they had been trained more and more, and bound to the creator and their job with magic. So they would never go against the Sanctuary or any of it's agents again.

It took a while, but I finally remembered what Skulduggery and I were going to do, drench the Grand Mage's hair. Oh, it would be fun. I looked to Skulduggery, as if asking. He shook his head, then focused his attention once more on the speaker.  
"So, Skulduggery Pleasant, this is your new partner?" He didn't move at all for a few moments, then nodded.  
"Yes."  
"Yet another innocent who has been brought into a world she isn't ready for. What did we tell you before? We warned you Skulduggery, Valkyrie Cain payed the price for your ignorance," People really like the word ignorance. I felt a horrible feeling, a shiver up my spine and a tightening of my chest, I realised many people were looking at me, whispering. I looked down at the ground, Skulduggery spoke.  
"Valkyrie Cain was a great help, and countless times she saved the world from indecent horror. She alone saved me on a number of occasions, including from a separate dimension. Don't you _dare_ talk about her as if she was an innocent child. She chose a life that she didn't regret."  
"Ah, yes. I forgot, her last words to you, what were they again, Detective?" I bit my lip before speaking.  
"I mean no disrespect here, but perhaps it isn't a good idea to-"  
"Don't worry, child." Skulduggery said, looking at me with his hollow eyesockets. He turned to the Grand Mage, and held out his gloved hand. My eyes widened as the air around it ripped. A Cleaver stepped out of position and grabbed Skulduggery from behind, holding his arms behind him. Though there was a sharp noise of air rushing past me. The Cleaver's head dropped clean off, and more stepped away from their posts.

Child? He called me child? I'm not a child. I stood and felt something on my back, my eyes widened and I spun around, though a Cleaver towered above me and I simply stood quietly as it took my arms and placed them behind my back. Skulduggery shouted several different curses, that might not have even been in English, at the Grand Mage as we were pushed outside. The doors closed behind us. The last thing I saw were the Cleavers going back to their stations as if nothing happened. Except the one who's head was on the floor obviously. I turned to Skulduggery.  
"What was that about?!"  
"Now you know. Valkyrie Cain was first like you. She came to small meetings like that, though I suppose I'm a little worse off now. I can't always control myself."  
"But-"  
"No, the Grand Mage was right. I'm bringing another innocent girl into the wrong world. I'm sorry. I'm taking you home."  
"Don't you remember? I don't have a home Skulduggery."  
"I'll drop you off with my friend, Ghastly. He can take care of you for now, and he will organise somewhere for you to go. Away from the world you aren't meant to know."

"Of course I'm meant to know!" I shout, my anger and saddness were never meant to mix. "Otherwise I wouldn't be here!"  
"The only reason you're here, is because you fell for a vampire. I thought he was dead."  
"You mean Caelan?'  
"Yes, Caelan. Valkyrie killed him, or so she thought. He's dangerous."  
"My point exactly."  
"Listen, this isn't for you. Nothing else is to be said. If you tell people about our world, you will loose your memories, or your life."  
"So... This is it? Back to my life then?"  
"Whatever you would like to call it."  
"Then... What will you do?" I ask, my eyes tearing up, though I managed to keep strong for now. I knew I was going to crack at any moment.  
"I will do what I do the best. Detective work for the Sanctuary. Helping in small wars, saving the world."

"You can't do it alone."  
"That was my problem last time. I don't have the same problem now." There was something about him that was worse. I didn't know what it was, but he looked like he was about to scream. If he could do that. I hadn't really heard him like this. If he could cry, I'm sure he would be right now. I could cry and I can. So I did. I turned away, and he touched my shoulder lightly.  
"I'm sorry." I pulled away and wrapped my hands around myself, looking up at the stars and the rising moon as my hair was blown by the wind. Skulduggery stayed silent and looked down. Everything paused around us, and I knew, I knew at that moment. I knew Skulduggery had broken inside. I think I might have too.

~End Pt. 1~

Well, did anyone get emotional there? I did. Oh my... Why do I write things like this? Oh well. And I best change my name soon, because I'm not really a sadist. Well, I might be inside my head, but perhaps I won't really live up to that in real life. Oh well, I'll just have to live with it. Tell me if you liked it. 3 SadistGirl2013


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